Dental Assisting

A dental assistant is an important member of an efficient dentalteam, providing valuable service to both the dentist and patient. Anassistant aids and anticipates the needs of a dentist in intra-oralprocedures like general dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery,prosthetic, endodontic, orthodontic, and pediatric dentistry. Otherfunctions of a dental assistant include: responsibility for thedisinfection and sterilization protocols of the office, labprocedures such as exposing and processing radiographs, secretarialand receptionist duties, and instructing patients concerning propertechniques of preventive dentistry.

Elgin Community College's dental assisting program prepares studentsfor an active role in dentistry through classroom, laboratory andclinical experiences. Highly-trained dental professionals teach andsupervise all on and off campus activities.

Clinical experience begins in the third semester of full-timeenrollment and continues for 300 hours in area dental offices.Students are placed into general practice offices and can selecttheir specialty office experiences from oral and maxillofacialsurgery, orthodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry, orendodontic practices.

Graduates are encouraged to take the national examination to become acertified dental assistant (CDA). Certification is a specialrecognition for a high level of professional competence. In additionto the Clinical Dental Assisting certificate current students andcurrently working assistants are eligible take the DEA 113 SpecialProjects class for expanded functions training in Coronal Polishingand Pit & Fissure Sealants.